The Grey Watches

What place do law, justice, and honor have in the Game of Thrones?

Forces under Lord Martin Cahill marched into the Grey Watches seeking battle and were met by several hundred clan maruaders under Lurgis Son of the Mountains, defacto leader of the Bloodsworn. The battle was hard fought, with Marcus Cahill, Cormac Gorham, Ser Delwyn Fald, Othren Stone, and Ser Lyron Marsden present on the field. As the archers from each side concentrated on each other, the infantry units met on either side of the field, in a brutal give-and-take battle.

Marcus Cahill kept the Cahill infantry in the thick of the fighting, his presence keeping the hard pressed unit in the fight, while Cormac Gorham held the right against repeated clan attacks. The outcome of the battle was still in doubt even after the arrival of reinforcements under Owen Cahill, Ser Neil Lorcan, and Tristan Cahill. But leadership and weight of numbers began to turn the tide. Lurgis defeated Othren Stone, but and Raynor Storr delivered the killing blow. Various commanders tried to keep the clan forces in the field, but ultimately they flee in disorder.

It was a brutally fought battle, with high casualties on both sides and few prisoners taken.

Clear Victory for House Cahill

Glory: 3 Glory to house Cahill (Specifically Martin, for commanding)

1 Glory each for house Gorham, 1 Glory for

Wealth: +1 wealth worth of loot was recovered from the battlefield (to the commanding house, in this case Cahill)

Lands: Reclamation of lands is possible without the pressure of clan raids.

-Cahill & Gorham gain +4 lands.

Law: At present, there is no modifier. Deserters and stragglers will offset the decline in raids in the short term. In time (a couple sessions) Gorham and Cahill will get a significant bump in Law.

Casualties

Lurgis the Bloodsworn, killed by Raynor Storr (and Othren Stone)

Voros the Slayer, killed by Othren Stone

Pak son of Thoros, killed in battle with Gorham infantry

Lydara daughter of Alric, escaped

Hakal Born of Blood, killed by Cormac Gorham

Thurga son of Turth, killed by Delwyn Fald

Horthal son of Horga, escaped, fled w/ remnants of unit

Veteran Raiders Destroyed

Veteran Crusader/Raiders -1 Training, Become Trained

Trained Raiders Destroyed

Trained Raiders -1 Training, Become Green

Green Raiders Destroyed

Trained Archers -1 Training, Become Green

Trained Archers Destroyed

Othren Stone, killed in combat with Lurgis Bloodsworn

All engaged suffered wounds, save Lord Martin and Raynor Storr

Cahill Trained Infantry Destroyed

Cahill Trained Mercenaries Intact

Marsden Trained Archers -1 Training, become Green

Gorham Veteran Infantry -2 Training, become Green

Gorham Trained Archers Destroyed

Gorham Green Guerillas Intact

Daylan Mercenaries Intact

Torston Cavalry -1 Training

As mentioned, prisoner taking was rather sparse, but you have the opportunity to take / interrogate footsoldiers if you want them.

Martin will send intact units in a slow pursuit, largely to burn out any nearby settlements and raiding camps to push the “border” back again and confirm in everybody’s mind who won the battle.

The march back to Cahill is uneventful and despite the victory, the mood is subdued until the castle is reached. Once there, the survivors begin to celebrate, and Martin authorizes a revel to celebrate the victory. Word comes from Jevon that after several skirmishes and a hard-fought battle, the clans in that area have been soundly defeated.

Other news reaches Hammond’s Teeth—House Daylan confirms that they will hold a Regional Tournament in South Bay.

Disturbing news: It is reported that Lord Darklyn of Duskendale is holding King Aerys II prisoner and that the King’s Hand, Tywin Lannister is besieging the city, demanding the King’s return. Rumor has it that Ser Gwayne Gaunt, the King’s bodyguard, was killed in the abduction. Facts on this bizarre story are sparse, but more news is eagerly awaited.

March, in the 276th year since Aegon the Conquerer Landed and the 14th Glorious Year of the prosperous and fair reign of Aerys II Targaryen

The Northern Grey watches erupt into full-scale war as the clans sweep down to raid en masse. The lords have rallied to meet them and the first battle has ended in a glorious defeat of the vile clan marauders. Huzzah!

The Battle of the Begging Brother (thus named for the Begging Brother Inn located at the center of the fighting).

The ambush was carefully laid and sprung, though it did attract the majority of Zarkas, son of Tarka’s forces which made the forces on the field even (in terms of units). At first, the raiders had the upper hand, but the arrival of the cavalry units in their pincer movement brought devastating cavalry into the field and Finn Cahill engaged Zarkas in single combat, wounding the clan leader and hampering his effectiveness to command his units. The tide gradually turned to the Cahills, and Finn and Zarkas engaged again, with Zarkas’s fall proving the death knell for his forces.

Result: Decisive Victory for Cahill and Allies

Glory: 2 Glory for House Cahill, 1 each for Daylan, Marsden, and Torston (who contributed units)

Wealth: Loot is minimal, but the wealth put in by each family can be fully recovered.
Casualties

Clan Leaders

Clan Leader Zarkas, son of Tarka, Killed
Torken the Swift, Killed

Deldan of Holn, the Lost Knight, Missing, presumed escaped

Grutha the Badger, Captured
Timur Griffin Blood, Captured

Most of the clan units were routed or destroyed. Many clansmen are captured, but many still escape, though not in any form of order.

In game terms, 3 units survive, but due to losses / replacements, their training levels decline. They will not be fit for operations for some time, assuming a leader can properly rally them.

The ultimate fate of the Lord’s forces has yet to be determined, though it is likely they will fare much better, perhaps increasing in training. However, even in victory, desertions and casualties can damage units. The Commander (Wade) will assess (roll) the fates of his units on Monday.

Each unit will roll on the column under the condition in which they ended the battle applying a -1 modifier to the die roll if listed (-1 modifier to roll for each time the unit was disorganized in combat after the first).

Previous to the battle, the PCs intercepted a shipment of weapons headed to the raiders, with the help of the morally flexible Captain Bergo of the Clumsy Dancer. They were able to capture Talanio the Tyroshi, pirate turned clan ally, along with a clan warrior, another Tyroshi, and some mercenaries, member of the mercenary band The Sworn of the Narwhal, were upon some mysterious errand. The captured mercenaries proved to no little in the way of specifics, and after questioning they were ransomed back to the escaped mercenary captain for a handful of GDs (8 in total). A few other notes and things occurred, of which I am sure are of no consequence whatsoever.

In short, it was, aside from Finn getting smashed around quite a bit (though for a good cause) and for Tristan’s unit being routed off the field (in his defense, they were soldiers from house Daylan, whose reputation for martial incompetence rivals the 20th century French) it was a rather excellent showing for house Cahill.

Operations against the vile mountain clans will continue on Monday as Marcus & Cormac’s column under the command of, er, uh, (who, exactly?) marches out to defeat the Blood Born who are itching for a fight.

-Scot

There aren’t rules for the fates of attached commanders (who are not specifically engaged in character scale combats) so I essentially gave them the fate of their unit. Those units that were destroyed led to a defeated commander. In this case, I figured not all of them would survive their wounds and rolled randomly, thus Torken the Swift was not swift enough. If the unit escaped destruction, then its attached commander escaped (assuming wounds received didn’t overcome him). Unattached commanders (Timur) rolled Survival vs. Owen’s passive Warfare and flubbed the roll horribly and was captured.

While the Lord is away, the party will be reserved and serious

Session One

-Characters prepare to meet the delegation from House Torston. From the tower they see clan raiders pursuing a couple of fleeing peasants. The raiders are quickly dealt with and the smallfolk saved.

-Investigating further, the party discovers the wounded remnants of the lost patrol, who were lured into an ambush by the raiders. The patrol investigated the attack on the merchants.

-The raiders appear to be better equipped and more cunning in their attacks than usual.

-The Torston delegation arrives and pleasantries are arranged. In the train are Ser Nolan Torston, Laina Torston, Darren Daylan, and Ser Neil Lorcan. Ser Neil reveals to Owen and Cormac that a surprising number of clansmen from the Scarred Men have been sighted in the northern Gray Watches. He confirms that the clansmen have been better equipped as of late in his estimation as well. He mentions that Ser Nolan knows a lot about the clans.

-The charming Lady Laina Torston is excited about a rumored Tourney that house Daylan will host.

-The Torstons saw evidence of another attack by raiders. Further investigation leads to the possiblity of Septon Horace and Ser Linden Hunter having been taken captive by the clans.

-The Sharden contingent arrives via ship later that day and the evening’s feast goes without incident. After prayers led by Septon Whitney, the the Torston and Sharden contingents depart.

-A few weaponsmiths look at some of the weapons confiscated from the clan raiders. While it is the usual mishmash of items and makers, some are decidedly not local, coming from across the Narrow Sea, and some from the Seven Kingdoms, possibly the Reach.

-Finn and Tristan both head into town to find out if they can get a lead on smugglers who might be bringing in weapons. Finn turns up a Braavosi smuggler named Bergo, Tristan a man known as Skinny Ned.

-A ransom demand is received for Ser Linden. No word about Septon Horace. A message is sent to inform house Hunter and plans are discussed.

Session Two

-Using the increase in revenue generated by the port, the party decides to pay the ransom. After a period of distrust, the willingness to meet the demand without any dickering shocks the clansmen into compliance, obviously thwarting the plans of the Blood Born leader, who was spoiling for a fight. Clan leader Zarkas son of Tarka, seems pleased with the deal. The party also meets Alric the Voice, son of Gathren, a fairly moderate clan leader. He informs them he has purchased Septon Horace from Zarkas, and has been discussing theology with him. He will turn the Septon over in respect for the characters’ good faith negotiations, but warns that many in the clans will see the willingness to pay as a sign of weakness. He also mentions that the clans have had run-ins with brigands who kill clan and Vale man alike.

-The exchange of prisoners for goods and coin goes without incident. Linden Hunter is happy to have been delivered from his ordeal. Septon Horace speaks about the mountain clan religion at length. He discounts the Blood Born as a political movement dressed up in religion and feels that it is just those seeking political gain pandering to the pride of of the warrior spirit of the clans. He also mentions that there are two non-clan members in frequent contact with the clans, Taranio, a Tyroshi sellsword and pirate, and Deldan of Holn, a former hedge knight who now lives like a clansman in the hills.

-A hunt is arranged so that Linden may audition a new squire, however the hunt quickly turns into a the social event of the month. During the hunt, Jord, the huntsmaster reports that a local farmer has been killed. Investigation reveals that the villager, Hort, was spying on the road for the bandits.

-The bandits are tracked down and ambushed. However, the bandits are seasoned veterans and the fight has close moments with many party members injured. One of the bandits, an archer named Tevan, is captured. He explains the brigands work in small groups, but all pay a tithe to Valorous Stone, the leader of a large camp somewhere near Gorham’s territory. He gives up information on their communication methods, their camps, and any informants, and confirms that Hort was killed for attempting to blackmail them. He also reveals that many of the bandits are former sellswords and veterans, though he himself is just a villager who turned from hunting to banditry to make ends meet. The sole bandit who escaped was named Farren. He is sentenced to join the Night’s Watch. The party places him in the dungeon, pending a northbound ship.

-Lord Martin arrives back in Hammond’s Teeth as the party recuperates. He is his usual dour self but seems content with the successful recovery of Ser Linden and the extermination of the bandits. He tasks Marcus to follow up with the bandits. More importantly, he is concerned with the political situation, seeking alliances with the other houses. He fears Torston may form a power block to the East with Daylan. He also hears rumors of trouble brewing between house Markel and Royland that could easily bring the rival houses to blows and destabilize the southern Grey Watches. He also thinks is extremely important to get a maester, particularly one who is good with ravens, because the lag in information without one is too slow. Finally, a meeting with other neighboring lords is going to take place at Cahill Castle to hammer out a unified strategy for dealing with the clans. Lord Martin wants to discuss strategy with the family beforehand.

News from Region and Realm

It is January in the 276th year after Aegon’s landing and the fourteenth glorious year of the reign of Aerys II Targaryen.

Heralds and travelers bring news from the near and far…

It is said that the maesters of the Citadel forecast another year of summer.

While the clansmen have not offered a major raid as they did five years ago at Tavinale, the sheer volume of raids has very high as late. The Western Bay Road, from Jevon through Torston seem to be having the most trouble, with even house Daylan reporting quite a few raiders. Many believe that a great raid will come this year, especially after the clans were emboldened by their victory at the Threads.

Pirate raids have fallen off, but not disappeared from the Bay of Shards.

House Harkin is plagued by a group of brigands called the Silent Band operating in the Myric Rush Valley.

Another, smaller, band of thieves calling themselves the Stone Pennies, appear to be operating along the road between Jevon and Gorham, though many claim to have been accosted by this band much further afield. They seem to range in the forested hills to the west of the road. Their leader calls himself Valorous Stone.

There has some trouble along the length of the Bay Road east of the mountains with beggars, refugees, and brigands. Many of these are stragglers and displaced people from the recent battle in South Bay.

There is good news from King’s Landing as Queen Rhaella is with child. All the king’s subjects offer their prayers to the Mother that the child is brought safely into the world. The Queen has not successfully birthed a child since Prince Rhaegar, who will reach his fourteenth nameday this year.

Septon Horace is expected in Hammond’s Teeth any day now. Septon Whitney, who came south across the narrows from Saltstone, has been in town several days, hoping to meet up with the elder traveling Septon.

A blog for your campaign

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.